Ruling party member of parliament Haji Salim’s Madina Group grabbed at least 11 bighas of fallow land at Meghna ghat area of Sonargaon upazila in Narayanganj.
An official of the group acknowledged the grabbing of public property.
Sources of the upazila assistant commissioner (Land) office said 11.38 bighas of fallow land were grabbed and filled with sand in 2018.
At the time district and upazila officials went to the spot and demarcated the government land with red flags.
Madina Group men removed the flags as soon as the administrative officials left the spot.
All sorts of preparations have been taken to recover the land grabbed by Madina Group. Everything will be visible within a few days
Narayanganj DC Mohammad Jasimuddin
Upazila assistant commissioner (Land) Al-Mamun said, “We have demarcated about 11 bighas of land grabbed by Madina Group. A sign board and red flag will be put in place and eviction of the establishments will start in a day or two.”
The upazila and the district administration sent eviction notices to the Madina Group more than once, he added.
Analysing records of the upazila assistant commissioner (Land), it was found that the upazila assistant commissioner (Land) at the time, Nazmul Hussain, conducted an investigation and sent a letter to the deputy commissioner and Haji Salim on 29 September 2019.
According to the letter, Madina Group managing director Haji Salim illegally grabbed around 3.42 acres of land in Meghna ghat area, filling it with sand to set up different establishments of the group.
It is true there is government land inside our factory. Our managing director Haji Salim applied to the Narayanganj DC to get the ownership of the land. We could not advance further as the administration did not respond to our application. If the administration agrees to lease the land in the name of our company, we are ready to take the ownership by depositing money to the state exchequer as per the rules.
Madina Group deputy manager (Land) Mahiuddin Ahmed
District administration sources said Haji Salim applied to the deputy commissioner of Narayanganj on 6 August 2018 for official ownership of the grabbed land. The DC office did not respond.
A top official of the DC office said he grabbed the public property defying the administration. The DC office did not take the matter positively. The administration did not advance further over the matter as he is an influential person. But preparation is on for eviction.
While visiting the spot on Thursday, a boundary wall was seen surrounding the grabbed land. There are different establishments inside. Cement production was going on there. The security guards did not allow entry when newsmen disclosed their identities.
When asked about the steps to recover the grabbed land, DC Mohammad Jasimuddin said all sorts of preparations have been taken to recover the land grabbed by Madina Group. Everything will be visible within a few days.
He also said legal steps will be taken about the huge amount of public property being grabbed.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.
